Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-08-12
ILL LUCK SAVED HIM.

which Philadelphia at that time provided
for the comfort and entertainment of
people who take their music with beer.
My attention was attracted to a man
about - years old, whose appearance
was the nearest approach to the tradl-
tional make up Of Robert Macare that |
had ever seen off the stage, not emitting
the blackened eye. He wandered about
the garden swinging an old umbrella i'll a
nonchalant way for some time, not eX-
actv oblivious to the strains of Behrens
admirable orchestra. but in a manner be-
tokening safety of everything common
place. yet still evincing a willingness to
endure his surroundings in default of
something more to his taste. | watched
his movements for while and. finally
losing sight of him in the crowd. ordered
"nightcap' and arose from my chair to
go home. As 1 did so l felt a gentle tap
on my shoulder and well modulated
voice said:
Excuse me. sir; are you q believer in
the doctrine of predestination?
The question. the man. and his manner
struck me as so excessively ridiculous
that l laughed outright. but recovering
myself replied You mean. I suppose,
to ask if | believe a man who was born
to be hanged can't possibly be drowned. -
something like that; yes. | have a
theory that | WASH born to be drowned,
but we won't discuss the hanging"
1--WE won't discuss anything, l said;
"Im going"
MY dear sir, " said the typical Robert
with Chesterfieldian bow, accompanied
by wide and graceful sweep of his UNI
brella. that is really too bad. You
should by all means remain and hear my
story. a story without a moral. 1t isn't
ghost story or fairy tale. but true
account of the only piece of good luck l
ever encountered in my life, and that
came about through my losing all my
money at faro; hadn't cent left.
The fellow evident sincerity impressed
me, and my curiosity to hear his paradox
ical experience grew stronger as | gazed
into his inperturbable countenance and
depressed a laugh. had been a sort of
"rounder' for many years. and con-
sidered myself invulnerable to assaults
upon my credulity, SO | invited my com
panion to be seated, resumed my place at
the table ordered some refreshments.
and told him of my burning anxiety to
be added to his list of victims Casting
tON lllt Il lOOh Vi dt
the suggestion of guile conveyed by my
last remark, he composed his countenance
by inserting portion of it into the beer
mug he held in his hand and began his
story:
Il will not bore you with an account
of my early life, ;" said he, further than
to say that l was born in i'll luck My
father, whose hopes during few months
prior to my nativity had been set upon
the pinnacle of desire to be parent to a
daughter, evidently fancied that l was
solely responsible for my sex and could
never tolerate me in his presence. A,
the earliest moment that | attained the
age at which l would be received in
boarding school l was sent away from
home and kept away, in school and out
until was IL years of age, when l re
ceived from my father the sum of $500
and letter informing me that l mus
from that time forward shift for myself
shifted. The first thing that did wa
to lose the $500, which feat accom-
plished before leaving the school. hav,
always thought the janitor took it, bu
have never been uncertain Of the fac
that didn't take it when left.
my first practical experience in shift
ing for myself was confined to easy
stages of pedestrianism in search of EN-
ployment, which obtained on the thirC
day after my departure from the schoo
in carpenters shop. I had worke,
two hours carrying lumber to the plan
ing bench when fell through hole il
the floor into the cellar and broke one o
my legs. This episode dulled the keel
edge of my desire to learn the carpen
ters' trade, and as soon as / was able t
travel | set out in quest of an easier o
at least a safer, way of earning a living
With varying success, but always gettin
the worst of it in the long run, | turne
my hand to almost everything until tn
spring of 1861, when the war broke out
l was at that time enjoying one of tn
brief periods of fair luck that CON
monty succeeded the violent AN
protracted paroxysms of ill forum
to which / was subject and in re
quital of my services in assisting to rails
a volunteer company in response
President Lincoln's call for $4,000 men
was commissioned first lieutenant.
then believed that my star was in the az
cendant, but there was in store for mt
as speedily realized, worse luck than
had ever before experienced. On tn
evening before the day fixed for our d,
parture from the Ohio town in which
was then living called to say farewell [
the only girl had ever been able to il
duce to tolerate my attentions and WI
had promised to marry me. Fancy m
feelings when / was informed by h,
brother who met me at the door that 81
had married fellow from Mansfield tn,
morning and was at that moment on h,
way to her new home. / rushed ava
from the house with full Discriminate
to die on the battlefield, but my perver
luck interfered to prevent even that OF
of my desires from arriving at oonsun
nation.
son the following morning my cor
pany started for Columbus to Join Il
regiment to which it was attached, al
for awhile warlike enthusiasm took Il
plapa of Observation-Disclosures apI cbarrr